A Powys farmer is swapping lambing sheds for the spotlight as he prepares to take to the stage in the live semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent tonight.
Will Rogers, 35, from Presteigne, is part of the Hawkstone Farmers Choir, which won a Golden Buzzer during their audition and captured the hearts of viewers across the UK.
Now, the group will perform at London’s Apollo on Saturday (May 23) as they compete for a place in the grand final - and Will is calling on Mid Wales to get behind them.
From farm life to prime-time TV
Will runs mixed family farms in Knighton and Presteigne with his loved ones, managing sheep, suckler cows, arable crops and a tourism business.
He admits farm life is full-on, especially at this time of year.
“We usually end up biting off more than we can chew and chewing like mad,” he said.
Spring has been particularly busy, with lambing, calving and crop spraying all demanding attention - making his TV journey even more challenging.
Will first joined the choir after spotting a social media advert calling for “singing farmers”. Having previously sung in Young Farmers competitions, he decided to give it a go.
While friends initially joked about it, he says the support from the local community has been overwhelmingly positive.
Building a choir from the ground up
The choir, made up of 32 farmers from across the UK, was formed from more than 500 applicants and has been shaped by musical director Simon Gwilliam and choir director Lizzie Deane.
Their guidance has helped transform the group into a polished performance act, ready for a national audience.
In the run-up to the semi-finals, members attended three days of intense rehearsals in Buckinghamshire – something that required careful planning back home.
Will praised his wife and parents for stepping in to keep the farm running while he was away.
A message beyond the music
As well as competing, the choir is using its platform to raise awareness of mental health challenges in the farming community.
Farming can often be an isolated profession, and the group hopes to break down barriers and encourage more people to speak out.
If they win the £250,000 prize, they plan to donate a significant portion to agricultural mental health charities.
Will said: “We’re incredibly proud to represent farming communities across the UK.
“If we can make people smile, raise awareness for mental health, and show the public what British farming is really about, then we’ve already achieved something special.”
The live semi-final of Britain's Got Talent will be shown on ITV1 from 7pm on Saturday, May 23.
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